1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the positioning of two arms above the head for exposure in X-ray and nuclear medicine and for treatment in radio-oncology.
2. Description of Prior Art
The known methods of positioning a patient's two arms involve moving the x-ray table to a position sensibly perpendicular to the location of the tip of the x-ray generating equipment. The positioning of the arm for underarm picture taking is done by stretching the arm and trying to immobilize the patient during the x-ray generation process, resulting in much discomfort. The use of supports installed externally to the table may cause undue strain, should the table be rotated significantly.
In the prior art Patent CAN 1,049,996 Lile, March 1979 discloses an extremity holder for mounting on an operating table but dependent upon the presence of apertures in the end of the table as well as the presence of a rail as part of a table.
Another piece of prior art Can 1,252,144 Dyer, April 1989, discloses a hand grip for keeping the arms above the head and an attachment to the table by means of a pelvic belt for resisting traction but here again the system necessitates the adapting of the table to the needs of traction by making the table slidably mounted, such system being too complex for day to day X-ray analysis application and for eventual use on an emergency stretcher.